What is God responsible for?

[Willum]

Many things were done in God's name:
But what is he responsible for?

When the Catholic Nazi Germany attempts a genocide, a man is blamed.
When Hebrews commit genocide on the Canaan, it is his will.

We have plagues, on Catholic countries, for example. The Dark Ages were committed in Yahweh's name. Were they?

Why would Yahweh plunge the civilization of Rome, with health, farming and sanitation, back into the primitive squalor of ancient Jerusalem, if so?

If not, why did he not stop such a terror? It seems to be in His purview.

How does one determine if an act is done in God's will, or men's will?
Does the Bible tell us?

Understanding that free will is a constraint - we can also understand that mob's and large numbers of people lose free will, does this fall into God's purview, then?

In short, how does one know what God is responsible for;
Any group decision?
A decision influenced by prayer?

The position is that presented by Romans 13:

Obey the rulers who have authority over you. Only God can give authority to anyone, and he puts these rulers in their places of power. 2 People who oppose the authorities are opposing what God has done, and they will be punished. 3 Rulers are a threat to evil people, not to good people. There is no need to be afraid of the authorities. Just do right, and they will praise you for it. 4 After all, they are God’s servants, and it is their duty to help you.

The position of the OP is: those atrocities committed by governments, God's will, and he is responsible for them.

[Willum]

[Replying to post 202 by Willum]

"Blind mechanical forces produce beauty all the time"? You know that how? Know any great blind painters?

You say artists just copy what's around them. You know that how?

1. Clouds produce beauty all the time. Sunsets. Many many examples.
2. How do you not know that?

Anyway you said you could somehow refute that the Solar System was capable of producing order from chaos. I'd like to see that.

But then, I'll give you another example. Have you ever seen the phenomenon of "Jack Frost?" order and beauty from chaos.

[ttruscott]

If there is a sentient God who wishes to be known then he will make himself known to the humblest among us, not to the arrogance of philosophers.

GOD chooses those who want what HE offers. HIS offer is low key enough that no one is forced by awe or fear to want to chose it, to save themselves from the consequences of not choosing it, for instance - they can say I like that or I just don’t think so with a feeling of impunity.

[ttruscott]

[Replying to post 211 by ttruscott]

You said that life is forced by chance mutation. OK, you know that how?

I don't know that and I don't even believe it but that's how I've heard it defined.

There is no impulse in a watch for teh p8ieces to come together, you said. OK, so are you saying there is an impulse in supposedly passive, inert, dead matter to come together and form life? If so, why isn't that in the watch?

The dead matter coming to life is a presupposition to evolution...without it there would no life therefore no evolution, right? So they define it as a necessary step leading evolution. If the watch comes together it will not produce life - the analogy fails. Chemistry is not placing metal bits into a proximity and waiting to see if they move together.

I am not arguing for evolution except about the changes in response to the environment type. BUT I really do hate the endless parade of strawman arguments over and over every day against Christian doctrine so I am also careful not to characterize science by what it is not.

[ttruscott]

But then, I'll give you another example. Have you ever seen the phenomenon of "Jack Frost?" order and beauty from chaos.

Is not the nature of being water not within the water so water is not chaotic but defined tightly and one expression of water is to become frost in the right circumstances?

[hoghead1]

[Replying to marco]

As I already said, you are right about one thing. We're getting into an argument for God, which isn't at all what the OP asks. It assumes there is a God and so asks what is God responsible for. Let's stick to that.

[hoghead1]

[Replying to post 221 by Willum]

Wait a sec. As another reminded me, this OP isn't on proofs for God. According to the OP you posted, it is on what God is responsible for. That assumes there is God.
But your post here is a continuation of an earlier discussion we got into as to whether there was a God. Hence, it is off the OP here, which you yourself set up Let's stick to the OP.

[hoghead1]

[Replying to post 223 by ttruscott]

Well, if you don't know it or believe it, then I think it inappropriate for you to post it. Anyhow, we may be getting off the OP. The OP is asking what is God responsible for. Hence, it is assuming that there is a God. So getting into proofs for God really isn't what this OP is about. OK, so given that there is a God, are you assuming that would rule out evolution? On my end, I see no problem in reconciling God with evolution. In fact, I think God is essential for evolution, the driving force behind it, as evolution is the rie of genuine creativity, and God is the transcendental creative imagination that makes such evolution possible.

[hoghead1]

[Replying to post 222 by ttruscott]

Plus the fact that the OP is asking what is God responsible for. Hence, it is taking God as a given. If one has doubts about God, then that belongs discussed in another OP.

[hoghead1]

[Replying to post 221 by Willum]

Again, the OP you set up is assuming there is a God. It does not ask for proofs for the existence of God, which is what your current post is aiming at. It is taking God as a given, just asking for clarification as to God's role in creation. OK, in response to your OP, I am saying God's chief responsibility is the creation of beauty. If you have doubts about the existence of God, then you should have set up a different OP.

[Willum]

[Replying to hoghead1]

You led us down this road, to make a point.
Looks like if you have that point, you'll need to make it another way.

So, yeah, back track, see if you can show us that God does anything.